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“In the entire world there are only a few sounds that bring joy to all but the most jaded. One is the murmur of a kitten purring. Another is the thwack of a well-pitched baseball hitting a perfectly swung bat. And the third is the pop of a cork being pulled from a bottle of wine.” —George Taber

hookajoe

I grabbed their Grenache three-pack back in April, and I felt it was well worth the $50.
I've never had their Syrah before, but for an extra $20 for three it doesn't have to be spectacular to make this a good deal to me.
Of course if it is spectacular, then this is a fantastic deal!

Note that they have a new winemaker now, so if you like this style, it will not come back most likely.

I like Grenache in blends with good Spanish Tempranillo (I am a Tempranillo fan) - in my opinion it gives them a bit more 'bite' usually, for those who did not encounter the grape often and need a translation - in Spanish it would be "Garnacha".

I did not find ANYTHING about their Syrah though. Who got it last time and can say something about it?

lionel47

darksites wrote:Are you kidding? Pass on this offer, these are not good reds.

Actually, I drank the syrah with a lamb tagine and roasted beet and carrot salad on Christmas day.

The smokiness others mentioned went well with the the main dish and all the sides. The red berry played well with the roasted beets. A good time was had by all and we agreed that it was a nice wine.

My only advice is to let it breathe for 10-15 minutes after opening. I noticed more complexity toward the mid point of the bottle and genuine suppleness at the end.

The grenache (of which I have one left) is equally good, IMHO. The first two bottles were consumed in front of a roaring fire on a somewhat chilly night around 40F on a patio.

Again, let this one breathe. It started out with a slate kind of presentation that gave way to the fruit you would expect. On the second glass about 20 minutes later, it was gone and the full roundness of the medium body shown through. Good fruit in this one. Could have been the smoke from the fire but I did note (on paper that night) smokiness in this bottle.

Anyway, I am mulling going in for one. As is my custom when I am on a SIWBM, if it is still around at 8PM EST, I will pull the trigger.

redwinefan

I really enjoyed the Martian Grenache Blanc (would't mind more of that!) I picked up previously, and I didn't take any detailed notes on this Grenache, but I remember thinking it was definitely decent for this price point.

"You need to invest in a corkscrew. Wine is for drinking." -- Peter Wellington

otolith

We had the 2008 Syrah at a tasting I held at my place last month. I'm not sure how much my tasting notes will matter, but I thought the wine was well balanced and well made. For the price listed here, I think this is definitely a good deal. I won't go so far as to say you're foolish if you pass on this, but I would say this falls into the great QPR category.

edit: the 2008 was 14.8% alcohol, so with the 2009 at 13.7%, seems like it may be an apples to oranges comparison.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
--John Muir

Note that they have a new winemaker now, so if you like this style, it will not come back most likely.

I like Grenache in blends with good Spanish Tempranillo (I am a Tempranillo fan) - in my opinion it gives them a bit more 'bite' usually, for those who did not encounter the grape often and need a translation - in Spanish it would be "Garnacha".

I did not find ANYTHING about their Syrah though. Who got it last time and can say something about it?

there is a key takeaway, from this post. This 2009 is made from the previous winemaker, whose style is completely different.

I LOVE the new Grenache from Martian Ranch, 100% whole cluster, under 14% al, all neutral oak.
If you have had that, and/or the recent Grenache Blanc, the style will be very different.

That said, most typical consumers are more likely to like this better, and not fully appreciate the characteristics of the new approach.

sonomawilliam

redwinefan wrote:I really enjoyed the Martian Grenache Blanc (would't mind more of that!) I picked up previously, and I didn't take any detailed notes on this Grenache, but I remember thinking it was definitely decent for this price point.

geekwench

sonomawilliam wrote:there is a key takeaway, from this post. This 2009 is made from the previous winemaker, whose style is completely different.

I LOVE the new Grenache from Martian Ranch, 100% whole cluster, under 14% al, all neutral oak.
If you have had that, and/or the recent Grenache Blanc, the style will be very different.

That said, most typical consumers are more likely to like this better, and not fully appreciate the characteristics of the new approach.

Is it not possible that most consumers might be able to enjoy both styles, or is it only those with rarified palates who can embrace different winemakers' approaches to the same grapes? I am generally loath to assume that I can predict the palates of others, given that I can barely predict my own. I regularly find myself enjoying wines I didn't expect to, and I also find myself not liking wines that others find perfectly acceptable. Taste is subjective, and I think that "most typical consumers" is an oxymoron when it comes to wine.

I recently bought a case of wine that received high marks from others, and I found it thin, acidic, completely lacking in depth, with a finish reminiscent of rotting vegetation (which worsened after the wine opened up). Should I therefore conclude that "most typical consumers" who liked the wine don't have my trained palate, or should I just assume that my tastes don't concur with those of others who tried the wine in question? I prefer the latter, lest I start thinking that wine is something that only snobs can appreciate.

geekwench

Bought this the last time around and have only tried the Syrah so far. Based on that alone, I'm in for another. For $11-12 per bottle, I think this is a solid purchase. I expect that I'll like the Grenache at least as much as the Syrah based on what others have written, and even if I weren't convinced of that, at this price point, I view this as a low-risk purchase.

I've had wines I've liked better (at significantly higher cost), and I've had wines for which I paid more that I enjoyed much less. I might even be in for two.

redwinefan

If the winery hops in here at some point, it'd be great to get a Woot+ offer with some of their newer winemaker's wines so we can compare/contrast. I realize they won't be as good of a deal as this unfortunately.

"You need to invest in a corkscrew. Wine is for drinking." -- Peter Wellington

losthighwayz

Hey, dont want to start a war on here but the Martian site has a tab for biodynamics....are the grapes for these reds farmed usong that principle? On a side note, I spotted an orange martian pick up truck while picking up my wine shipmwnt at Curtis Winery on Foxen Canyon Road...I asked the guy pouring for us if he knew why they were there but he had no idea...Ishouldve pressed the issue with Ernst Storm, the winemaker at Curtis, to see if there is any connection with Curtis' vineyards or vice versa since the wines from Curtis are always crisp and well-made...anyway, not sure what my point is....I guess I am intrigued by this offer...

danzigdan

redwinefan wrote:If the winery hops in here at some point, it'd be great to get a Woot+ offer with some of their newer winemaker's wines so we can compare/contrast. I realize they won't be as good of a deal as this unfortunately.

+1

I had a feeling I'd see another Martian offering before the end of the year. I bought the Grenache when it was 3/$50 and really liked it. I would like to try new vintages to compare/contrast as well.

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